The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for setting grommets onto large textile sheets at high speed.
Conventionally, grommets are set around the perimeter of a tarp, tent, or the like sheet material with the use of a grommet setter. A grommet setter is a machine that punches a hole in a textile, and sets a grommet into the hole in one operation. The grommet setter may be of the sort in which grommets are fed into the setting apparatus one at a time by hand, by an operator, or it may be auto-loading, wherein a number of grommets are inserted into a magazine and feed one at a time into the grommet setting apparatus as it is used. The grommet setting machine, be it manual loading or auto loading, is conventionally firmly bolted to a work bench and substantially immovable. Therefore, when an operator is setting grommets around the perimeter of a large tarp (for instance) most of the time and effort of the operator is devoted to manually shifting the bulk of the tarp in a single rotational movement so that its perimeter edge can be brought into engagement with the grommet setter. The entire tarp must then be flattened out in a large space, and rolled or folded for further processing or shipping.
It will be appreciated, therefore, that the production capability of an experienced operator with a conventional grommet setting machine will be about three tarps a day. Using the present invention production is substantially facilitated, and production rates increase to about 20 units per day.
In a abroad aspect the present invention relates to an apparatus for setting grommets around the perimeter of a tarp, including: a feed reel from which a rolled tarp may be unwound; a table, across which a said tarp may be drawn; a take-up reel, onto which a said tarp may be rolled; and a grommet setter positioned relative to said table to permit an operator to set grommets on a said tarp as said tarp is drawn across said table.
In another broad aspect, the present invention relates to a method of setting grommets around the perimeter of a tarp, including the steps of: folding said tarp in two, lengthwise; winding said folded tarp onto a feed reel until a first end edge of said tarp is left unwound; setting grommets along the first end edge of the tarp, using a grommet setter mounted for rotation relative to a table; rotating said grommet setter 90% to align same with the edge of said table; unwinding said tarp onto said table part of said grommet setter, and setting grommets on the exposed edges of said tarp; winding said tarp onto a take up reel so that the second end edge of said tarp is exposed; rotating said grommet setter to face said second edge; and setting grommets along said second edge of said tarp.